


Giving up

by velocitygrass



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode: s04e11 Be All My Sins Remember'd, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-14
Updated: 2008-01-14
Packaged: 2018-01-21 13:39:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1552409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velocitygrass/pseuds/velocitygrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John doesn't like to talk about himself, but he's not the only one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Giving up

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to neevebrody for betaing and to quasar273 for her notes! Written for McSheplets challenge #10 "Resignation".

Rodney sat down on his bed. "So?"

"What?" John asked, his gaze running along the wall containing all of Rodney's diplomas.

Rodney gave him a look. "At some point during dinner, your mood shifted from 'all is right with the world' to the way you get when Sam makes you write your appraisals. I think I can pinpoint it to when I asked if those were cucumbers."

John glared at him, then sighed and sat down at the end of the bed.

Rodney watched him carefully. "Those weren't actual cucumbers?"

"Teyla's pregnant."

Rodney looked at him, stunned. "That..." Then he smiled. "Really?"

John frowned. "Yes, really."

"Who's the father?"

"I..." John looked away. "I don't know."

Rodney watched him stare at the floor. "You didn't know that she was seeing someone?"

John turned to him. "Did _you_?"

"No, no. But I don't—" Rodney looked at his hands for a second. "Well, I don't _mind_."

John watched him, brow furrowed in confusion, before he shook his head. "No, it's not that. I don't mind that she's seeing someone. But...she knew about this for _two months_!"

"And?" Rodney asked.

"She knew this for two months and didn't say a _word_ ," John said unhappily.

Rodney opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "It's a private matter."

John started to protest, but before he could get out a word, Rodney quickly said, "I broke up with Katie last month."

John's words of protest died on his lips. Instead, he stared at Rodney. "What?"

"When I came back from my sister's, you know, after...I ended it. I talked with Jeannie about Katie and it clarified some things for me. I'm never going to marry her, so continuing this seemed like...leading her on."

John was stunned. "Okay, I give up. Do I need to talk to Ronon? Has he secretly married and is a father now?"

Rodney smiled. "I don't think so."

"I don't believe this," John said, looking at the floor again.

Rodney edged closer to him on the bed. He hesitated for a moment. "I know that you don't really like to talk about yourself." John's eyes widened, but Rodney pressed on. "And I'm not saying you have to, obviously. But I think others might find it easier to talk to you, if you.... John, I found out that you were married once from _Ronon_. And I don't even know if you have brothers or sisters. Of course I could hack your file, but that's—"

"Why did you break up with Katie?" John asked suddenly, jaw clenched.

"I told you. I don't—"

"Yes, but...is there someone else?" There was a note of desperation in John's voice.

"I... That's... You know the point I was trying to make wasn't that you should _ask_ for more information. I thought, you could _offer_ something about yourself. It doesn't have to be anything big—"

"I'm in love with you," John blurted out.

Rodney's jaw dropped. "Okay, wow."

John shifted uncomfortably.

"That...I didn't expect that—at all."

John moved to stand up, but Rodney grabbed his arm and held him back. John looked at him, his whole body tense.

Rodney kept his hand on John's arm, lightly stroking. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked with a smile.

John snorted unhappily and half-heartedly tried to pull his arm away, but Rodney held on.

The smile faded from his face. "There _is_ someone else," he said seriously.

John looked at him, tension slowing giving way to hope. "You...?"

Rodney nodded. "And if you would just _open up_ about these things, I could have told you a lot sooner."

"I'm not very good at talking."

"I never would have guessed."

"I'm good at other things," John said, a smile forming on his lips.

Rodney grinned at him. "Let's find out _how_ good."


End file.
